Avocados are the perfect addition to brownies, and here's why: they're creamy; they're moist; they're fatty in all the best ways. And when paired with a rich semi-sweet dark chocolate and earthy walnuts, these avocado brownies become an experience: a velvety, blissful square of easy-to-make brownie goodness that melts in your mouth and riles up your endorphins to dance a surging tango.
Combine ⅓ cup vegan butter, ¼ cup of the chocolate chips, and cocoa powder in a small sauce pan over low-medium heat, and melt until smooth, stirring frequently. Remove the sauce pan from the heat, add the vanilla extract, and then let cool for 5 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, the other ¼ cup chocolate chips, and mashed avocado together. Once cooled, add the melted chocolate mixture, and fold all the ingredients together well, adding ⅓ cup ground walnuts halfway through.
In a lightly greased 8x8 baking dish (with cooking spray or rubbed with vegan butter), spread the avocado brownie batter evenly throughout the dish, and bake for 26 minutes, until slightly firm to touch.
When the brownies are nearly finished baking, melt about 1 tablespoon of vegan butter with yet another ¼ cup vegan chocolate chips until smooth for a quick ganache. Spread the ganache over the top of the baked avocado brownies evenly, and then add an addition ¼ cup ground walnuts as garnish.Cut the brownies into 9 even squares, let cool for another 10 minutes or so, and then serve!